Calle Regina Street Art … Exploring Mexico City Murals

Then check out this fun, colorful guide to Calle Regina street art and other places to see the best Mexico City murals!

If you’re anything like me, you’ve never met a mural that you didn’t love. I like seeking them out whenever I travel, and Mexico City was no exception.

Mexico has a long history of muralism, and it’s influenced much of the street art found throughout the world today. So no trip to Mexico City would be complete without checking out all.the.murals … or at least as many as possible!

In Mexico City, murals and street art are everywhere. The city is infused with art, from amazing Diego Rivera murals at the National Palace to colorful (and often political) street art in its neighborhoods.

One of my favorite places to see street art in Mexico City is Calle Regina, a street that’s been shut off from traffic and that’s lined with cafes and bars. Today, I’m sharing a photo tour of this colorful street, plus tips for finding other Mexico City neighborhoods where you can see lots of murals.

Exploring Mexico City Murals: Calle Regina Street Art

When Mexico City began revitalizing its Historic Center (starting in 2000), they created a number of pedestrianized streets.

Calle Regina was one of the streets that was partially shut off to traffic. And since then, the street has flourished with colorful cafes and bars. It’s also one of the best places to see street art in Mexico City!

If you’re planning to spend any time in Mexico City’s historic downtown, make sure to check out Calle Regina street art.

Calle Regina is located five blocks south of the Zócalo, and we got there by walking south on CalledeIsabel ‘La Católica‘. This is a busy route lined with lots of shops, but fewer tourists than you’ll find around the main square.

Keep an eye out as you walk, and you’ll see a few murals on the way to your destination. We spotted the mural above on Calle Republica del Salvador, just off Calle de Isabel. And there was another mural across the street, too.

When we got to Calle Regina, we took a right and headed west.

This section of Calle Regina is full of charming cafes (many with outdoor seating) … the perfect place to enjoy a coffee or snack.

The vertical garden (jardín vertical) on the exterior of the Universidad del Claustro de Sor Juana caught our eye immediately. So charming, right?

Mexico City is quite polluted … you can see the haze as you fly into the city. These gardens are intended to beautify the city and clean the air. They’re also being added to a beltway around the city.

This section of Calle Regina doesn’t have a ton of street art … at least not the huge murals we were expecting to see.

One thing you will spot though is Templo de Regina Coeli, a Roman Catholic church and convent built in the mid-1600’s. The church has a beautiful, gilded altarpiece that’s worth checking out if you have a few minutes.

There’s also a small courtyard park in front of the church. It’s a pleasant place to stop and people watch for a bit.

The pedestrianized part of Calle Regina extends another block to the west of the church. We headed back the way we came though and didn’t check it out.

Once you get back to the intersection of Calle Regina and Calle de Isabel, look south. You’ll see a large mural (by Eric Ailcane) decorating one of the buildings.

Some of the Calle Regina street art you’ll see (like the mural below) has been painted on shop shutters.

If the shops are open, you won’t see it the art.

Once you crossed back over Calle de Isabel, you’ll start spotting murals everywhere and in all different styles.

The top mural below is a tribute to Gabriel Vargas, creator of the popular cartoon “La Familia Burrón“.

The graffiti art you’ll see on Calle Regina ranges in size from small pieces to murals that are several stories tall.

Calle Regina is lined with cafes and bars on this stretch, as well. Doesn’t it look like a fun place for a walk?

The street was fairly quiet when we were there, but I’m assuming the crowds build in the afternoon and evening.

Here’s a funny story … we stopped into a bar on Calle Regina for a bite and some beers. With our somewhat limited Spanish, we scanned the menu, and settled on a cucurucho de patatas.

Of course, we knew it was something with potatoes, but we weren’t sure what a cucurucho was. There were a few other potato dishes on the menu that sounded good (and we knew what they were) … like patatas bravas. So I’m not sure why we picked what we did.

It ended up being a very exciting paper cone of potato chips. Ha ha. You live and you learn, I guess.

A number of the Calle Regina street art pieces you’ll see where created by Meeting of Styles, an international network of graffiti artists and supporters. This well known group has sponsored graffiti art projects in over 16 countries around the world.

And as we checked out the mural below, an artist was actually being interviewed in front of it.

Make sure to look up, down, and all around as you stroll this colorful street. And maybe even behind you.

You won’t want to miss anything!

More Places to See Mexico City Murals

Calle Regina is just one of many places to see graffiti art in Mexico City.

You’ll find it on buildings, in city parks, walls … it really is everywhere.

A beautiful mural in Mexico City’s Parque Mexico.

Exploring Mexico City Murals: Coyoacán

Coyoacán is another neighborhood were you’ll find lots of murals.

This is a neighborhood you’ll want to visit anyway, since it’s home to the Museo de Frieda Kahlo, a beautiful historic center with a bustling plaza and market, and more.

Most of the murals we saw were located around Casa Azul (Frieda Kahlo’s childhood home and museum), on Calle Xicoténcatl, and along Calle Centenario. Although I’m pretty sure that’s just the tip of the iceberg … leave more time to explore this neighborhood than we did!

Exploring Mexico City Murals: Roma

We didn’t spend a lot of time in Roma, but it’s worth checking out for the street art alone. I would describe it as hip / trendy with a very Euro-centric feel. Lot’s of English-speaking people, which we didn’t find to be the case anywhere else we visited.

Besides English-speaking Euros and Americans, another thing you’ll also find a ton of in Roma is murals and street art. It was everywhere we turned, and you won’t have any problems stumbling across it either.

Exploring Mexico City Murals: National Palace

I can’t talk about Mexico City murals without mentioning the National Palace and its stunning Diego Rivera murals.

Although the murals there are obviously not street art, Rivera was part of the Mexican muralism movement that influenced generations of artists who created the murals you’ll see throughout Mexico City.

The scale and subject matter of these murals will blow you away … they’re amazing!

Tips for Checking Out Calle Regina Street Art

I hope you enjoyed reading about Calle Regina street art, as well as some of the other places you can see Mexico City murals. Here are some tips to help plan your visit:

Getting There:Calle Regina is located five blocks south of the Zócalo in the Historic Center of Mexico City. The pedestrianized part of Calle Regina is located between Aldaco on the west and Avenida 20 de Noviembre on the west.

Bring Your Appetite: The street is lined with cafes, bars, and coffee shops. Plan on stopping and enjoying for a drink or bite to eat so you can enjoy some excellent people watching.

Learn More: Before you go, read more about the long history of Mexican Muralism. The movement influenced much of the street art you’ll see in Mexico City and around the world today. There are a number of other pedestrianized streets in the area and throughout the city that are worth checking out, too.

Looking for other ideas? I’d definitely recommend checking out a guide book. And TripAdvisor is a reliable resource for finding attractions, restaurants, hotels, and more (love the reviews!).

Where to Stay in Mexico City

Looking for somewhere to stay in Mexico City? The city is huge, and it’s hard to know where to start looking.

We stayed at the Intercontinental Presidente, which is located in Polanco, an upscale residential neighborhood in Mexico City. If you ask for a room on a high floor, you’ll get beautiful views of the city!

I loved that the hotel was located within walking distance of the Metro, which made getting around easy. And the neighborhood is filled with upscale (yet relatively affordable by U.S. standards) restaurants and cafes. There are lots of shops and a pretty park, too.